Women in Computing 2003

It was girl-power at Waikato University on Friday 10 October 2003, when over
80 high school
students converged to hear about women in the IT industry.

This was the first time an event for ‘Women in Computing’ had been held in
the Computer Science Department.

The event was about encouraging more female students to consider
computing as an option for their future, whether that is in the IT industry
or with further
study and research.

“Current figures show women are hugely under-represented
in IT careers
in New Zealand, which mirrors what is happening overseas,” said Dr Margaret
Jefferies, Senior Lecturer in the University's Computer Science department.

“One of the reasons for this is the lack of visible role models that
girls can relate to. They do not see themselves in the IT roles that attract
attention
in the media.”

But, she says, there are many successful women in computing
who cannot imagine themselves in any other career.

“We aim to show that there are exciting and fulfilling careers to be
found in IT for women. In the same way that women in the 1980s and 1990s realised
the
need to take ownership of women’s health issues, so women in the
2000s realise the need to be involved in the way IT is shaping our lives.”

Girls
in Years 10 to 13 from around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty attended
the half-day event. While at the University, they heard
from
a range of
women in the New Zealand IT industry and academia, including Heather McEwen,
Director of Xenacom IT Solutions - a major IT company delivering database-related
professional services and web-centric software applications. Xenacom is
based in the Waikato Innovation Park.

“The fact that people like Heather McEwen and her staff gave up
their work day to be involved is indicative of how much support exists in the
industry for initiatives like this,” said Dr Jefferies.

“The students need to know about women like Heather, who are having
a huge impact on the development of IT. She started Xenacom in 1996 and is
currently
Director
and co-owner of one of the fastest growing companies in the Waikato.”

Following
the success this year’s event, the department
is making ‘Women in Computing’ an annual event for high
school students.